Homemade applesauce!

[joyfulheart]

I am wondering if anyone has an easy recipe for making applesauce??  And, do you can it in a water bath or pressure canner?? 

Any help is most appreciated!!

[2happymamas]

I have used this recipe for the past 2 years. http://www.pickyourown.org/applesauce.htm

[1love4ever]

Water bath.  We just peel most of the skin off apples, cut them up, put them in a large pot thing with some filtered water, cover, let it boil awhile til apples are soft, drain any extra water, mash them up with a potato masher(or puree them if that is the consistency you want, but we like chunky applesauce), put the apples into hot clean jars that just came out of the dishwashers dry cycle, boil in the water bath.  We dont add any sugar or cinnamon.  The cinnamon can be added later when you go to eat it if thats what you want, but it tastes so good and fresh that we feel the added stuff ruins it.  We also use FUJI apples, not gala, because they have much better flavor and make much better applesauce.  I have also put some pears in with the apples if that is what you like.

[Lisoula]

I have one that's for make now, eat now....ie, not one you would can & use throughout the year.  It's yummy though!  If you want me to post it, let me know!

[Alyantavid]

Mine's really simple.  Just peel, core, and quarter apples in a little water and boil until soft.  Run through a food processor/blend/whatever you have and then return to the pan.  Heat through with sugar and cinnamon to taste.

To can it, just pour into hot jars while the applesauce is still hot and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

[sunnygir1]

Yeah, I just us apples and a little water, nothing else.  I used to cook the whole apple (quartered) and run it through a food mill.  Now I quarter and core the apples, cook them, blend them up (skins and all) in the food processor, reheat and can.  I also made some this year with an apple peeler/slicer/corer and that worked well -- I still had some skin, but not as much.

I hot pack them and can them in a boiling water bath -- boil 10-15 minutes.  I also freeze applesauce if I have room in the freezer or don't have time to can it.

[ollyoxenfree]

I just peel, core and cut the apples into chunks, add a small amount of water (a tablespoon or two) and heat gently. I usually sprinkle a little cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, cardomom.... any combination of them....for a little flavour. Then a quick whirl with the immersion blender, and it's done.

I usually just use up the apples in the house that are soft and bruised, or buy them off the "damaged" rack at the supermarket, so I don't do any big batch canning. If I have extra, I'll freeze it. When it thaws, it tends to be a little runny, but it's easy to drain.

[waikukumama]

Hello!  I live on an orchard with 30 acres of fruit, so I am ALL ABOUT simple ideas ... I use my slow cooker.  I love this recipe because you don't even have to peel skins - saves time, adds fiber!  I wash them, quarter them, cut out any weird bits, biff them in the slow cooker with some water (half a cup, maybe a cup) and THAT IS ALL.  When they're soft (takes anywhere from an hour to all day, depending how many apples you're using and what variety they are) you wait for them to cool enough for your blender/food processor to handle and whizz 'em up.  I have used hot jars with some success but usually I just freeze the results or use it fresh.  Had some with yoghurt and pumpkin kernels this AM!

Let me know if you would also like me to post the world's healthiest chocolate brownie recipe.  It's utterly delicious and uses a cup of this tasty sauce. 

Have fun!

[homemademom]

Originally Posted by waikukumama 

Let me know if you would also like me to post the world's healthiest chocolate brownie recipe.  It's utterly delicious and uses a cup of this tasty sauce. 

Me! Me! Me! Pretty please :)

[waikukumama]

Good on you, Home Made Momma!

Healthy Chocolate Brownies...

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup cocoa

3/4 cup self-raising flour (I often use 3/4 cup regular flour and add 3/4 tsp baking powder.  Kind of cheating, but hey ...)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup DARK choc chips (use the best quality chocolate you can afford that week and then you can claim flavinoid health benefits!)

optional extras: eg 3/4cup walnuts, 3/4 cup frozen berries, shredded coconut, whatever you fancy.  Or it's good as gold without any.

Step one: Preheat oven to 175 degrees CELSIUS.  I think that is not quite 350 farenheit.   Grease/line your baking dish.

Step 2: Put applesauce into bowl, sift in flour, cocoa, baking soda.  Add sugar and salt.  Mix till just combined (don't overmix, will toughen brownies).  Gently fold in choc chips and any extra bits eg walnuts.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for about 25-30 mins, that's until center feels set and fudgey when you insert a skewer.

Step 3: cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out.  Cool completely before slicing into squares. 

and

ENJOY! 

Guilt free treat.  Not much sugar, no fat, heaps of fiber.  ALL GOOD!  My little girl has some in her school lunch box RIGHT NOW.

[homemademom]

Originally Posted by waikukumama 

Good on you, Home Made Momma!

Healthy Chocolate Brownies...

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup cocoa

3/4 cup self-raising flour (I often use 3/4 cup regular flour and add 3/4 tsp baking powder.  Kind of cheating, but hey ...)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup DARK choc chips (use the best quality chocolate you can afford that week and then you can claim flavinoid health benefits!)

optional extras: eg 3/4cup walnuts, 3/4 cup frozen berries, shredded coconut, whatever you fancy.  Or it's good as gold without any.

Step one: Preheat oven to 175 degrees CELSIUS.  I think that is not quite 350 farenheit.   Grease/line your baking dish.

Step 2: Put applesauce into bowl, sift in flour, cocoa, baking soda.  Add sugar and salt.  Mix till just combined (don't overmix, will toughen brownies).  Gently fold in choc chips and any extra bits eg walnuts.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for about 25-30 mins, that's until center feels set and fudgey when you insert a skewer.

Step 3: cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out.  Cool completely before slicing into squares. 

and

ENJOY! 

Guilt free treat.  Not much sugar, no fat, heaps of fiber.  ALL GOOD!  My little girl has some in her school lunch box RIGHT NOW.

Thank you so much! That sounds amazing!!

[joyfulheart]

Originally Posted by waikukumama 

Good on you, Home Made Momma!

Healthy Chocolate Brownies...

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup cocoa

3/4 cup self-raising flour (I often use 3/4 cup regular flour and add 3/4 tsp baking powder.  Kind of cheating, but hey ...)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup DARK choc chips (use the best quality chocolate you can afford that week and then you can claim flavinoid health benefits!)

optional extras: eg 3/4cup walnuts, 3/4 cup frozen berries, shredded coconut, whatever you fancy.  Or it's good as gold without any.

Step one: Preheat oven to 175 degrees CELSIUS.  I think that is not quite 350 farenheit.   Grease/line your baking dish.

Step 2: Put applesauce into bowl, sift in flour, cocoa, baking soda.  Add sugar and salt.  Mix till just combined (don't overmix, will toughen brownies).  Gently fold in choc chips and any extra bits eg walnuts.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for about 25-30 mins, that's until center feels set and fudgey when you insert a skewer.

Step 3: cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out.  Cool completely before slicing into squares. 

and

ENJOY! 

Guilt free treat.  Not much sugar, no fat, heaps of fiber.  ALL GOOD!  My little girl has some in her school lunch box RIGHT NOW.

Can't wait to make this!  It sounds divine!

Thanks for all the replys on how to make applesauce.  I have lots of ideas now to help me make my first batch of applesauce!!

[Samm]

The brownie recipe sounds great!

Here's my super easy applesauce . . .

1.  Hubby washes, peels, cores and cuts up apples (usually Macs or Cortlands)

2.  Add a little water (more if I'm going to cook higher to get the applesauce done faster)

3.  Add a little salt - it seems to bring out the flavor

4.  A tiny pinch of ginger if I'm feeling adventurous (otherwise we all flavor our applesauce separately)

5.  Stir occasionally and make sure there's enough water so it doesn't stick/ burn and can cook down

6. Mine cooks down enough that I don't need to do any more blending, so I let it cool and freeze and that's it.

Samm